BREAKING: From ITV News Joel Hill:
Quote:
The @RMTunion says P&O plans to restart its ferry service in Dover using agency crew from India + will pay them the equivalent of $2.38 (£1.80) an hour.
RMT doesn’t offer proof but this is plausible and - while some may find this shocking - it would be legal. I’ll explain…
P&O trades internationally and its ships aren’t registered in UK so it is not subject to UK employment law and requirement to pay the UK minimum wage.
P&O does have to comply with rates of pay set out by International Transport Federation/International Labour Organisation
The ITF/ILO minimum recommended rate for an Ordinary Seaman (OS) - usually the lowest rank on a ship - is $15.9/day - or $1.99/hour for an 8 hour shift.
P&O reportedly wants to cut its wage bill in half.
Offering agency crew from India £1.80/hour (well below UK min wage of £8.91/hour) would be legal and, I’m told, competitive.
Other ferry operators also use non-UK crews - from countries like Poland and the Philippines.
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